Portable serving-table.



A, J. ADAMS.

PORTABLE SERVING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, 1915- Patented 1 Jan. 18, 1916.

2 SHEET$SHEET l- A. J. ADAMS.

PORTABLE SERVING TABLE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1915.

1,168,775. Patented Ja11.18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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ARTHUR J. anaivrsor BAY CITY,'MICHIGAI\T, assiencn r0 FULTON MANUFACTURING contra/rarer CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, a conronarron or rLLinois;

IPORTAELE SERVING-TABLE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LAR'THUR J. ADAMS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Bay City, in thecounty of'Bay and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Portable Serving-Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to portable service-tables, or tray-wagons I and the primary object is to provide a collapsible structure of the character indicated, which is durable, capable of being cheaply manufactured, and of highly serviceable character.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side view of my improved collapsible service-table, or traywagon, in collapsed condition; Fig. 2, a view of the structure in folded condition looking at the underside of the structure, which is turned toward the right in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the structure in extended form, ready for use, one of the main wheels being indicated by dotted lines; Fig. at, a fragmentary view of the folding frame in partly folded condition, showing a detail employed at one of the lower front corners of the frame; Fig. 5, a broken rear elevational view, showing a detail of the construction at the central or joint portion of one of the folding standards or corner-members; and Fig. 6, a broken sectional view showing one of the braces or locking-devices employed for lockingthe frame in the ex tended, upright position.

In the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated, the invention comprises a running gear A; a superposed table, or tray, B, occupying an intermediate position in the structure; and asurmounting table, or tray,

C, forming the top of the structure. The running gear, intermediately-disposed tray, and upper tray are united by a folding up right frame 1), comprising folding front standards, or corner-uprights, 1, and folding rear standards, or corner-uprights, 2.

Preferably each front upright 1 comprises a lower section 1 and an upper section 1*, which are united by a pivot 1 located near the plane of the, intermediately disposed tray B; and, similarly, each rear upright 2 comprises a lower member, 'or section, 2,

Specification of Letters Patent.

and an upper member 2, united by a'pivot 2, the pivot 2 being in the same horizontal plane as the pivot 1.

The running gear-frame has a pair of parallel side-bars3, a front cross-member ti, and a rear cross-member 5. The side-members 3 and the cross-members are connected by pivots 6, which also connect sai'd mem'- bers, to the lower members of the corneruprights. p

A pair of main'wheels 7 are connected with the side-bars 3 near the rear ends thereof. In the illustration given, the wheels are mounted on the ends of a'spindle 8, mounted in depending, brackets 9 with which the members 3 are equipped. Preferably, the lower members 1 of the front uprights are provided with extensions 1?, which depend below'the level of the running gear-frame, and are equipped with rollers, or small wheels, 10. It is preferred, also, to employ side-bars 11, which are disposed at about the plane of the tray B and connected with the pivots 1 and 2, the bars 11 beingparallel with and of the same length as the bars 8.

Thetray Bis provided near its endswith cross-bars 12, having downturned extremities connected with the pivots 1. The tray G'is provided with similar cross-bars13 havingdownturned extremities, joined by pivots 14, to the upper ends of the upper members 1 and 2 of the corner uprights. The members 1 and 2 are of equal length, and the longitudinal distance between the pivots 14; is the same as the longitudinal distance between the pivots 1 and 2. Thus, it appears that the table-sections andrunning gear-frame are united by parallel link structure. The upright folding frame D is thus adapted to break at the center in the direction indicated by the central arrow in Fig. 3, so that the upper members 1 and 2 and the lower members 1 and 2 will, in-

effect, swing to the left about the pivots 1; that is, in the collapsing operation, the intermediate table B will, in effect, move to the right with relation to the upper table C V Patented Jan. 118, i916. Application filed. March 20, 1915. Serial No. 15,872.

and the running gear-frame, so that in the It will be noted that the wheels 7 project rearwardly somewhat beyond the pivots 6,

notwithstanding the fact that the spindle 8 V wheels project rearwardly beyond the pivot 6, the result being to support the structure in an upright position, when in the condition shown in Fig. l. v

To stiffen the frame D, or lock the structure in the extended condition, it is preferred to extend the lower-ends of the links l below the pivots 1 and equip the extremities with stops 1, which will bear against the front edges of the links 1"; to rigidly secure to the lower ends of the links 2*? forwardly extending arms 2 whose front ends are equipped with laterally-extending stops 2 adapted to engage the lower edges of the members 3; to unite the members 1 to the. side-bars 11 by folding braces 15; and to unite themembersQ to the bars 3 by fold- "ing braces 16. The folding braces 15 may comprise links 15 and 15 united by a clip 15 which is pivotally connected with the adjacent extremities of the links. The clip 15 may be a U-form clip, whose web-portion is adapted to prevent the links from passing more thanslightly beyond the dead.

center when the braces are extended. The braces 16 may be of similar construction.

From the foregoing it will be understood that when the structure is in extended position and the locking braces 15 and 16 extended, the stops 1 and. Qtwill so engage the co-acting frame-members as to give complete rigidity to the upright frame D.

When it is desired to collapse the structure, the braces 15 and 16 may be broken upwardly, and the upper tray 0 and the running gear may be swung to the left I about the pivots 1, until the tray 0 and the side-bars 3 of the running gear frame are brought into collapsed parallel relation with the intermediate tray B, in which condition.

the tray B will project above the tray C and the bars 3. In this condition, the wheels 7 and the rear end of the tray 0 'will supportthe folded structure in upright position. The upper tray G is preferably equipped with a handle E, by means of (which the tray-wagon may be propelled when in use, or carried when in folded con-v dition. In either condition, the tray-wagon can be propelled readily on the wheels 7,

by properly balancing the structure on the eels.

The structure maybe advantageously used for dining-room service, porch service, or the like. It may serve as a convenient means for transporting dishes, or it may be placed at a convenient point in a dining room for use as a service table. For transportation purposes, or if it be not kept in regular use forservice purposes, it may be folded readily into compact form.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitation should be understood therefrom.

What I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A tray-wagon comprising a pair of parallel tables, collapsible supports spacing said tables in superposed relation, a running gear, and collapsible supports spacing the lowermost table above the running gear.

2. A structure of the character set forth, comprising a collapsible upright frame, an

upper table, an intermediately disposed ta- 7 4. A structure of the character set forth,

comprising an upper table, an intermediate table, a lower frame and a folding upright frame connecting said parts, said upright frame comprising upper and lower sets'of links pivotally connected at their meeting ends to the intermediate table, stops adapted to prevent the joints at the intermediate table from breaking in one direction, and locking braces adapted to rigidly hold the structure in extended position.

5. A structure of the character set forth, comprising a lower substantially horizontal frame, an intermediate table and an upper table, all disposed in parallel relation, and a folding upright frame connecting and spacing said parts, said frame comprising corner -standards pivotally connected with the lower frame and the upper table and having intermediate joints in the vicinity of the intermediate'table adapted to break in one, direction to permit the upper table and the lower frame to move in the same direced with the lower frame and with the upper table and having intermediate joints connected with the intermediate table, stops associated with the corner-standards to prevent breaking of the intermediate joints in one direction, and folding lock-braces associated with the corner-standards and releasably holding the upright frame in extended position.

7. A tray-wagon comprising a lower frame, an intermediate table, an upper table, a folding upright frame uniting said parts and having two legs depending below the lower frame, and a pair of wheels connected with the lower frame near the opposite end of the structure.

8. A tray-wagon comprising a lower frame, an intermediate table, an upper table, a folding upright frame uniting said parts and having two legs depending below the lower frame, a pair of wheels connected with the lower frame near the opposite end of the structure, and a handle connected with the upper table at the end of the structure which is equipped with said legs.

9. A tray-wagon comprising an upper table equipped at one end with a handle, an intermediate table, a lower frame, folding standards pivotally connected at their upper ends with the handle-equipped end of the upper table and pivotally connected some distance above their lower ends with the lower frame, thereby affording legs depending beneath said lower frame, folding standards pivotally connected at their upper ends with the opposite end of the upper table and pivotally connected at their lower ends with the rear end of the lower frame, a pair of wheels upon which the rear portion of the lower frame is mounted near its rear end, and means for locking the structure in extended position.

10. A tray-wagon comprising an upper table equipped at one end with a handle, an intermediate table, a lower frame, folding standards pivotally connected at their upper ends with the handle-equipped end of the upper table and pivotally connected some distance above their lower ends with the lower frame, thereby affording legs depending beneath said lower frame, folding standards pivotally connected at their upper ends with the opposite end of the upper table and pivotally connected at their lower ends with the rear end of the lower frame, a pair of wheels upon which the rear portion of the lower frame is mounted near its rear end, stops associated with said standards and adapted to permit the standards to break forwardly at their intermediate joints, and lock-braces associated with said standards and adapted to releasably hold the structure in extended position.

11. A structure of the character set forth, comprising a lower frame, an intermediate table, an upper table, a folding frame comprising corner-standards pivotally connected with the upper table and with the lower frame and having oints connected with the intermediate table, side links connecting said standards with said joints, and locking devices for holding the folding frame in extended position.

12. A structure of the character set forth, comprising a lower frame, an intermediate table, an upper table, a folding frame comprising corner-standards pivotally connected with the upper table and with the lower frame and having joints connected with the intermediate table, side links connecting said standards with said joints, stops serving to prevent said intermediate joints from breaking in one direction, and locking braces connecting one set of standards with said side links.

13. A tray-wagon comprising a lower frame equipped near one end with a pair of wheels, corner-standards pivotally connected with said lower frame and provided with intermediate joints, one pair of said standards having extensions depending be low said lower frame and equipped with rollers, an intermediate table connected with said standards at said intermediate joints, an upper table pivotally connected with the upper ends of said standards, side links connecting said standards with said intermediate joints, and bracedevices for holding the structure in extended position.

14. A structure of the character set forth, comprising a frame having vertical members provided with intermediate joints, a table pivotally connected with the upper ends of said vertical members and equipped with a handle, a lower horizontal frame pivotally connected with said upright members, one pair of said upright members having depending extensions affording legs, a pair of wheels supporting the other end of said horizontal frame, and means for locking the upright frame in extended position.

15. A structure of the character set forth, comprising a frame having vertical members provided with intermediate joints, side links connecting said intermediate joints, a table pivotally connected with the upper ends of said vertical members and equipped with a handle,a lower horizontal frame pivotally connected with said upright members, one pair of said upright members having depending extensions affording legs, a pair of wheels supporting the other end of said horizontal frame, and means for locking the upright frame in extended position.

ARTHUR J. ADAMS.

In presence of- ALEX. B. Lnrrrr, CHAS. A. Osooon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

